Miami tribe
Encyclopedia
The Miami are a Native American
nation originally found in what is now Indiana
, southwest Michigan
, and western Ohio
. The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
is the only federally recognized tribe of Miami Indians in the United States. Another unrecognized tribe, Miami Tribe of Indiana, is a nonprofit group in Indiana.
bird, the sandhill crane
. Recent studies have shown that Twightwee derives from the Delaware language exonym for the Miamis, tuwéhtuwe, a name of unknown etymology. Some Miamis have stated that this was only a name used by other tribes for the Miamis, and not the autonym which the Miamis used for themselves. Another common term was Mihtohseeniaki (the people). The Miami continue to use this autonym today.
. Mississippian societies were characterized by maize
-based agriculture, chiefdom
-level social organization, extensive regional trade networks, hierarchical settlement patterns, and other factors. The historical Miami engaged in hunting
, as did other Mississippian peoples.
During historic times, the Miami were known to have migrated south from Wisconsin
from the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century, by which time they had settled on the Wabash River
. The migration was likely a result of their being invaded by the more powerful Iroquois
, who traveled far from their territory of New York
for better hunting during the beaver
fur trade
.
Historic locations
When French
missionaries first encountered the Miami in the mid-17th century; the indigenous people were living around the western shores of Lake Michigan
. The Miami had reportedly moved there because of pressure from the Iroquois
further east. Early French explorers noticed many linguistic and cultural similarities between the Miami bands and the Illiniwek
, a loose confederacy of Algonquian-speaking peoples.
At this time, the major divisions of the Miami were:
In 1696, the Comte de Frontenac appointed Jean Baptiste Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes
as commander of the French outposts in northeast Indiana
and southwest Michigan. He befriended the Miami people, settling first at the St. Joseph River
, and, in 1704, establishing a trading post and fort at Kekionga
, present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana
.
By the 18th century, the Miami had for the most part returned to their homeland in present-day Indiana and Ohio. The eventual victory of the British
in the French and Indian War
(Seven Years War) led to an increased British presence in traditional Miami areas.
Shifting alliances and the gradual encroachment of European-American settlement led to some Miami bands merging. Native Americans created larger tribal confederacies led by Chief Little Turtle; their alliances were for waging war against Europeans and to fight advancing white settlement. By the end of the century, the tribal divisions were three: the Miami, Piankeshaw
, and Wea
.
The latter two groups were closely aligned with some of the Illini
tribes. The US government later included them with the Illini for administrative purposes. The Eel River band maintained a somewhat separate status, which proved beneficial in the removals
of the 19th century. The nation's traditional capital was Kekionga.
British years
The Miami had mixed relations with the United States. Some villages of the Piankeshaw openly supported the American rebel colonists during the American Revolution
, while the villages around Ouiatenon
were openly hostile. The Miami of Kekionga remained allies of the British, but were not openly hostile to the United States (US) (except when attacked by Augustin de La Balme
in 1780).
The U.S. government did not trust their neutrality, however. US forces attacked Kekionga several times during the Northwest Indian War
shortly after the American Revolution
. Each attack was repulsed, including the battle known as St. Clair's Defeat
. This was the worst defeat of an American army by Native Americans in U.S. history. The Northwest Indian War ended with the Battle of Fallen Timbers
and Treaty of Greenville
. Those Miami who still resented the United States gathered around Ouiatenon and Prophetstown
, where Shawnee
Chief Tecumseh
led a coalition of Native American nations. Territorial governor William Henry Harrison
and his forces destroyed Prophetstown in 1811, having used the War of 1812
as pretext for attacks on Miami villages throughout the Indiana Territory.
The Treaty of Mississinwas
, signed in 1826, forced the Miami to cede most of their land to the US government. It also allowed Miami lands to be held as private property by individuals, where the tribe had formerly held the land in common. At the time of Indian Removal in 1846, those Miami who held separate allotments of land were allowed to stay as citizens in Indiana. Those who affiliated with the tribe were moved to reservations west of the Mississippi River
, first to Kansas
, then to Indian Territory
in Oklahoma
.
The divide in the tribe exists to this day. The U.S. government has recognized the Western Miami as the official tribal government since the forced divide in 1846. Migration between the tribes has made it difficult to track affiliations and power for bureaucrats and historians alike. Today the western tribe is federally recognized as the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
, with 3553 enrolled members.
The Eastern Miami (or Indiana Miami) has its own tribal government, but lacks federal recognition. Although they were recognized by the US in an 1854 treaty, that recognition was stripped in 1897. In 1980, the Indiana legislature recognized the Eastern Miami and voted to support federal recognition.
In the late 20th century, US Senator Richard Lugar introduced a bill to recognize the Eastern Miami. He withdrew support due to constituent concerns over gambling rights. In recent decades, numerous federally recognized tribes in other states have established gambling casinos and related facilities on their sovereign
lands. Such establishments have helped some tribes raise revenues to devote to economic development, health and education.
On 26 July 1993, a federal judge ruled that the Eastern Miami were recognized by the US in the 1854 treaty, and that the federal government had no right to strip them of their status in 1897. However, he also ruled that the statute of limitations on appealing their status had expired. The Miami no longer had any right to sue.
Miami, Florida
, is not named for the Miami nation, but rather for the Mayaimi
tribe of Florida.
The state soil of Indiana is called Miami
.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
nation originally found in what is now Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, southwest Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and western Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe of Miami Indians.-History:The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is Eastern Woodland tribe, who traditionally spoke the Miami-Illinois language, a language of the Algonquin family, but few tribal members speak the language today...
is the only federally recognized tribe of Miami Indians in the United States. Another unrecognized tribe, Miami Tribe of Indiana, is a nonprofit group in Indiana.
Name
The name Miami derives from the tribe's autonym (name for themselves) in their Algonquian language, Miami-Illinois, Myaamia (plural Myaamiaki); this appears to have come from an older term meaning "downstream people." Some scholars contended the Miami called themselves the Twightwee (also spelled Twatwa), supposedly an onomatopoeic reference to their sacredSacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
bird, the sandhill crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
. Recent studies have shown that Twightwee derives from the Delaware language exonym for the Miamis, tuwéhtuwe, a name of unknown etymology. Some Miamis have stated that this was only a name used by other tribes for the Miamis, and not the autonym which the Miamis used for themselves. Another common term was Mihtohseeniaki (the people). The Miami continue to use this autonym today.
| Name | Source | Name | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maiama | Maumee | later French | ||
| Meames | Memilounique | French | ||
| Metouseceprinioueks | Myamicks | |||
| Naked Indians | Nation de la Grue | French | ||
| Omameeg | Omaumeg | Chippewa | ||
| Oumami | Oumamik | 1st French | ||
| Piankashaw | Quikties | |||
| Tawatawas | Titwa | |||
| Tuihtuihronoons | Twechtweys | |||
| Twightwees | Delaware | Wea | band | |
Prehistory
Early Miami people are considered to belong to the Fischer Tradition of Mississippian cultureMississippian culture
The Mississippian culture was a mound-building Native American culture that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from approximately 800 CE to 1500 CE, varying regionally....
. Mississippian societies were characterized by maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
-based agriculture, chiefdom
Chiefdom
A chiefdom is a political economy that organizes regional populations through a hierarchy of the chief.In anthropological theory, one model of human social development rooted in ideas of cultural evolution describes a chiefdom as a form of social organization more complex than a tribe or a band...
-level social organization, extensive regional trade networks, hierarchical settlement patterns, and other factors. The historical Miami engaged in hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, as did other Mississippian peoples.
During historic times, the Miami were known to have migrated south from Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
from the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century, by which time they had settled on the Wabash River
Wabash River
The Wabash River is a river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery across northern Indiana to southern Illinois, where it forms the Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary...
. The migration was likely a result of their being invaded by the more powerful Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, who traveled far from their territory of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
for better hunting during the beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
.
Historic locations
| Year | Location |
|---|---|
| 1658 | Northeast of Lake Winnebago, WI (Fr) |
| 1667 | Mississippi Valley of Wisconsin |
| 1670 | Head of the Fox River, WI; Chicago village |
| 1673 | St. Joseph River Village, MI (River of the Miamis) (Fr), |
| Kalamazo River village, MI | |
| 1703 | Detroit village, MI |
| 1720-63 | Miami River locations, OH; |
| Scioto River village (nr Columbus), OH | |
| 1764 | Wabash River villages |
European contact
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
missionaries first encountered the Miami in the mid-17th century; the indigenous people were living around the western shores of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. The Miami had reportedly moved there because of pressure from the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
further east. Early French explorers noticed many linguistic and cultural similarities between the Miami bands and the Illiniwek
Illiniwek
The Illinois Confederation, sometimes referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini, were a group of twelve to thirteen Native American tribes in the upper Mississippi River valley of North America...
, a loose confederacy of Algonquian-speaking peoples.
At this time, the major divisions of the Miami were:
- Atchakangouen (also Atchatchakangouen or Greater Miami)
- Kilatika
- Mengkonkia (Mengakonia)
- Pepikokia (Kithtippecanuck)
- PiankeshawPiankeshawThe Piankeshaw Indians were Native Americans, and members of the Miami Indians who lived apart from the rest of the Miami nation. They lived in an area that now includes western Indiana and Ohio, and were closely allied with the Wea Indians...
(Newcalenous) - WeaWeaThe Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking tribe originally located in western Indiana, closely related to the Miami. The name Wea is used today as the a shortened version of their many recorded names...
(Ouiatenon)
In 1696, the Comte de Frontenac appointed Jean Baptiste Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes
Jean Baptiste Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes
Jean Baptiste Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes, was a Canadian soldier, explorer, and friend to the Miami Nation.Vincennes was born in Quebec on January 19, 1668. His father, tanner François Bissot, was granted a seigniory for his tannery on the St. Lawrence River in 1672...
as commander of the French outposts in northeast Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and southwest Michigan. He befriended the Miami people, settling first at the St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
, and, in 1704, establishing a trading post and fort at Kekionga
Kekionga
Kekionga, also known as Kiskakon or Pacan's Village, was the capital of the Miami tribe at the confluence of the Saint Joseph, Saint Marys and Maumee rivers on the western edge of the Great Black Swamp...
, present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
.
By the 18th century, the Miami had for the most part returned to their homeland in present-day Indiana and Ohio. The eventual victory of the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
(Seven Years War) led to an increased British presence in traditional Miami areas.
Shifting alliances and the gradual encroachment of European-American settlement led to some Miami bands merging. Native Americans created larger tribal confederacies led by Chief Little Turtle; their alliances were for waging war against Europeans and to fight advancing white settlement. By the end of the century, the tribal divisions were three: the Miami, Piankeshaw
Piankeshaw
The Piankeshaw Indians were Native Americans, and members of the Miami Indians who lived apart from the rest of the Miami nation. They lived in an area that now includes western Indiana and Ohio, and were closely allied with the Wea Indians...
, and Wea
Wea
The Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking tribe originally located in western Indiana, closely related to the Miami. The name Wea is used today as the a shortened version of their many recorded names...
.
The latter two groups were closely aligned with some of the Illini
Illini
Illini can refer to:* Chief Illiniwek, formerly the mascot of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign* Illiniwek, a group of six Native American tribes in the upper Mississippi River valley of North America...
tribes. The US government later included them with the Illini for administrative purposes. The Eel River band maintained a somewhat separate status, which proved beneficial in the removals
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830.The Removal Act was strongly supported in the South, where states were eager to gain access to lands inhabited by the Five Civilized Tribes. In particular, Georgia, the largest state at that time, was involved in...
of the 19th century. The nation's traditional capital was Kekionga.
Locations
French years- 1718-94 Kekionga, Portage of the MaumeeMaumee RiverThe Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
and WabashWabash RiverThe Wabash River is a river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery across northern Indiana to southern Illinois, where it forms the Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary...
rivers, Fort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana... - 1720-49 Portage of the Miami RiverGreat Miami RiverThe Great Miami River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States...
, St. JosephSt. Joseph River (Maumee River)The St. Joseph River is an tributary of the Maumee River in northwestern Ohio, and northeastern Indiana in the United States, with headwater tributaries rising in southern Michigan. It drains a primarily rural farming region in the watershed of Lake Erie. It shares its name with the St...
and KankakeeKankakee RiverThe Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long, in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the United States. At one time the river drained one of the largest wetlands in North America and furnished a significant portage between the Great Lakes and the...
rivers - unknown - 1733 Tepicon of the Wabash, Fort Ouiatenon, Lafayette, IndianaLafayette, IndianaLafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
- 1733-51 Tepicon of the Tippecanoe, headwaters of the Tippecanoe RiverTippecanoe RiverThe Tippecanoe River is a gentle, river in northern Indiana that flows from Big Lake in Noble County to the Wabash River near Battle Ground, about northeast of Lafayette. The name "Tippecanoe" comes from a Miami-Illinois word for buffalo fish, reconstructed as */kiteepihkwana/.The Tippecanoe...
near WarsawWarsaw, IndianaWarsaw is a city in and the county seat of Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. Cradled among Winona Lake, Pike Lake, Hidden Lake and Center Lake, Warsaw is nicknamed "Lake City," though other cities in the surrounding area are also referred to by that nickname... - 1748-52 Pickawillany, Piqua on the Great Miami RiverGreat Miami RiverThe Great Miami River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States...
in Ohio - 1752 Headwaters of the Eel River, southwest of Columbia City, IndianaColumbia City, IndianaColumbia City is a city in Columbia Township, Whitley County, Indiana, United States. The population was 8,750 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Whitley County.-Geography:Columbia City is located at...
- 1752 Le Gris, Maumee River (Miami River), east of Fort Wayne
British years
- 1763 Captured British at Fort Miami (1760–63) as a part of the Pontiac’s Rebellion
- 1774 Warriors participated in Lord Dunmore's WarDunmore's WarDunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
in Ohio - 1778 Kenapacomaqua, Wabash at the mouth of the Eel River, Logansport, IndianaLogansport, IndianaLogansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,396 at the 2010 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana, at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northeast of Lafayette.-History:...
- 1780 October — Agustin Mottin de La Balme (Spanish, from St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
) headed a raid of Detroit. Stopped and destroyed Kekionga. La Balme withdrew to the west, where Little Turtle destroyed the raiders, killing one third of them, on the 5th of November.
United States
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, while the villages around Ouiatenon
Ouiatenon
Ouiatenon is a name that refers to a dwelling place of members of the Wea tribe of Native Americans. The name Ouiatenon, also variously given as Ouiatanon, Oujatanon, Ouiatano or other similar forms, is a French rendering of a term from the Wea dialect of the Miami-Illinois language which means...
were openly hostile. The Miami of Kekionga remained allies of the British, but were not openly hostile to the United States (US) (except when attacked by Augustin de La Balme
Augustin de La Balme
Augustin Mottin de la Balme was a French cavalry officer who served in Europe during the Seven Years War and in the United States during the American Revolution...
in 1780).
The U.S. government did not trust their neutrality, however. US forces attacked Kekionga several times during the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
shortly after the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Each attack was repulsed, including the battle known as St. Clair's Defeat
St. Clair's Defeat
St. Clair's Defeat also known as the Battle of the Wabash, the Battle of Wabash River or the Battle of a Thousand Slain, was fought on November 4, 1791 in the Northwest Territory between the United States and the Western Confederacy of American Indians, as part of the Northwest Indian War...
. This was the worst defeat of an American army by Native Americans in U.S. history. The Northwest Indian War ended with the Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...
and Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...
. Those Miami who still resented the United States gathered around Ouiatenon and Prophetstown
Prophetstown State Park
Prophetstown State Park, named after Tenskwatawa , a religious leader and younger brother of Shawnee leader Tecumseh, is located near the town of Battle Ground, Indiana, about a mile east of the site of the Battle of Tippecanoe. Established in 2004, it is Indiana’s newest state park...
, where Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
Chief Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
led a coalition of Native American nations. Territorial governor William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
and his forces destroyed Prophetstown in 1811, having used the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
as pretext for attacks on Miami villages throughout the Indiana Territory.
The Treaty of Mississinwas
Treaty of Mississinwas
The Treaty of Mississiniwas or the Treaty of Mississinewa is an 1826 treaty between the United States and the Miami tribe.-Terms:After negotiations with the Pottawatomie to build the Michigan Road through Indiana by James B...
, signed in 1826, forced the Miami to cede most of their land to the US government. It also allowed Miami lands to be held as private property by individuals, where the tribe had formerly held the land in common. At the time of Indian Removal in 1846, those Miami who held separate allotments of land were allowed to stay as citizens in Indiana. Those who affiliated with the tribe were moved to reservations west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, first to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, then to Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
.
The divide in the tribe exists to this day. The U.S. government has recognized the Western Miami as the official tribal government since the forced divide in 1846. Migration between the tribes has made it difficult to track affiliations and power for bureaucrats and historians alike. Today the western tribe is federally recognized as the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe of Miami Indians.-History:The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is Eastern Woodland tribe, who traditionally spoke the Miami-Illinois language, a language of the Algonquin family, but few tribal members speak the language today...
, with 3553 enrolled members.
The Eastern Miami (or Indiana Miami) has its own tribal government, but lacks federal recognition. Although they were recognized by the US in an 1854 treaty, that recognition was stripped in 1897. In 1980, the Indiana legislature recognized the Eastern Miami and voted to support federal recognition.
In the late 20th century, US Senator Richard Lugar introduced a bill to recognize the Eastern Miami. He withdrew support due to constituent concerns over gambling rights. In recent decades, numerous federally recognized tribes in other states have established gambling casinos and related facilities on their sovereign
Sovereign
A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority within its jurisdiction.Sovereign may also refer to:*Monarch, the sovereign of a monarchy*Sovereign Bank, banking institution in the United States*Sovereign...
lands. Such establishments have helped some tribes raise revenues to devote to economic development, health and education.
On 26 July 1993, a federal judge ruled that the Eastern Miami were recognized by the US in the 1854 treaty, and that the federal government had no right to strip them of their status in 1897. However, he also ruled that the statute of limitations on appealing their status had expired. The Miami no longer had any right to sue.
Locations
United States years- 1785 Delaware villages located near Kekionga (refugees from American settlements)
- 1790 Pickawillany Miami join Kekionga (refugees from American settlements)
- 1790 Gen. Harmar marches on Kekionga to punish the Miami, Delaware, and Shawnee villages. On the 17th of October, Harmar found the seven villages deserted. The rear guard, left to destroy the returning villagers, was defeated by Little Turtle’s warriors.
- 1790 Mississinewa (Mississinewa RiverMississinewa RiverThe Mississinewa River is a tributary of the Wabash River in eastern Indiana and a small portion of western Ohio in the United States. It is long. Via the Wabash and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed. During the War of 1812, the river was the site of the Battle of the...
below the Wabash, southeast of Peru, IndianaPeru, Indiana-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,994 people, 5,410 households, and 3,397 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,815.5 people per square mile . There were 5,943 housing units at an average density of 1,287.7 per square mile...
) - 1791 Gen. Arthur St. ClairArthur St. ClairArthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...
moves on Kekionga. Little Turtle destroys the US Army (1400) near the future Fort RecoveryFort RecoveryFort Recovery was a United States Army fort begun in late 1793 and completed in March 1794 under orders by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. It was located on the site of the present-day village of Fort Recovery, Ohio, United States, on the Wabash River within two miles of the boundary with...
. - Kentucky Militia destroy Eel River villages.
- 1793 December — General Anthony WayneAnthony WayneAnthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
moves to Fort Recovery to prepare to destroy Kekionga. - 1794 August — Fort DefianceFort Defiance (Ohio)Fort Defiance was ordered built by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne in August 1794 at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee rivers. It was the last of a line of defenses constructed by American forces in the campaign leading to the Northwest Indian War's Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20,...
(Defiance, OhioDefiance, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 16,465 people, 6,572 households, and 4,422 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,562.4 people per square mile . There were 7,061 housing units at an average density of 670.0 per square mile...
) built on the Maumee RiverMaumee RiverThe Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
, site of deserted Shawnee village of Blue Jacket. 20 August Battle of Fallen TimbersBattle of Fallen TimbersThe Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...
, Blue Jacket loses to Wayne. - 1794 Kekionga site abandoned
- Mississinewa towns become the center of the nation.
- 1809 Gov. William Henry HarrisonWilliam Henry HarrisonWilliam Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
orders destruction of all villages within two-day's march of Fort WayneFort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. Villages near Columbia CityColumbia City, IndianaColumbia City is a city in Columbia Township, Whitley County, Indiana, United States. The population was 8,750 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Whitley County.-Geography:Columbia City is located at...
and HuntingtonHuntington, IndianaHuntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
destroyed. - 17 December, Lt. Col. John B. CampbellJohn B. CampbellJohn B. Campbell was a soldier during the War of 1812, most famous for his expedition to destroy the Miami Indian villages along the Mississinewa River and perhaps most infamous for destroying private houses and other property along with the stocks of grain and mills, which led to a Court of...
ordered to destroy the Mississinewa villages. Campbell destroys villages and kills women and children. - 18 December, at 2nd village, Americans repulsed and return to Greenville.
- 1810 July, US Army returns and burns deserted town and crops.
- 1817 Maumee Treaty — loose Ft. Wayne area (1400 Miami counted)
- 1818 Treaty of St. Mary’s (New Purchase Treaty) - lose south of the Wabash — Big Miami Reservation created. Grants on the Mississinewa & Wabash given to Josetta Beaubien, Anotoine Bondie, Peter Labadie, Francois Lafontaine, Peter Langlois, Joseph Richardville, and Antoine Rivarre. Miami National Reserve (875,000) created.
- 1818 Eel River Miami settle at ThorntownThorntown, IndianaThorntown is a town in Sugar Creek Township, Boone County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,562 at the 2000 census. Thorntown is located in northwestern Boone City, about halfway between Lafayette and Indianapolis.-Geography:...
, northeast of LebanonLebanon, IndianaLebanon is a city in and the county seat of Boone County, Indiana, United States. The population was 15,792 at the 2010 census. The city was named Lebanon because a stand of hickory trees on the site reminded one of the town's commissioners of the Biblical cedars of Lebanon...
). - 1825 1073 Miami, including the Eel River Miami
- 1826 Mississinewa Treaty — loose between the Eel and the Wabash to create a right of way for the canal. Eel River Miami leave Thorntown, northeast of Lebanon, for Logansport area.
- 1834 Western part of the Big Reservation sold (208000 acres (841.7 km²))
- 1838 Potawatomi removed from Indiana. No other Indian tribes in the state. Treaty of 1838 made 43 grants and sold the western portion of the Big Reserve. Richardville exempted from any future removal treaties. Richardsville, Godfroy, Metocina received grants, plus family reserves for Ozahshiquah, Maconzeqyuah (Wife of Benjamin), Osandian, Tahconong, and Wapapincha.
- 1840 Remainder of the Big Reservation (500000 acres (2,023.4 km²)) sold for lands in KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Godfroy descendants and Meshingomesia (s/o Metocina), sister, brothers and their families exempted from the removal. 800 Miami - 1846 1 October, removal was supposed to begin. Began October 6 by canal boat. By ship to Kansas Landing Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
and 50 miles (80.5 km) overland to the reservation. Reached by 9 November. - 1847 Godfroy Reserve, between the Wabash and Mississinewa
- Wife of Benjamin Reserve, east edge of Godfroy
- Osandian Reserve, on the Mississinewa, southeast boundary of Godfroy
- Wapapincha Reserve, south of Mississinewa at Godfroy/Osandian juncture
- Tahkonong Reserve, southeast of Wapapincha south of Mississinewa
- Ozahshinquah Reserve, on the Mississinewa River, southeast of Peoria
- Meshingomesa Reserve, north side of Mississinewa from Somerset to Jalapa (northwest Grant County)
- 1872 Most reserves were partially sold to non-Indians.
- 1922 All reserves were sold for debt or taxes for the Miamis.
Places named for the Miami
A number of places have been named for the Miami nation:- Miami, OklahomaMiami, OklahomaMiami is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2009, the population estimate was 12,910. It is the county seat of Ottawa County. The city is named after the Miami tribe...
- Fort Miami (Indiana), Michigan, and Ohio
- Great Miami RiverGreat Miami RiverThe Great Miami River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States...
in Ohio - Miami ValleyMiami ValleyThe Miami Valley, broadly, refers to the land area surrounding the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio, USA, and also includes the Little Miami, Mad, and Stillwater rivers as well...
, Ohio
- Little Miami RiverLittle Miami RiverThe Little Miami River is a Class I tributary of the Ohio River that flows through five counties in southwestern Ohio in the United States. The Little Miami joins the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It forms parts of the borders between Hamilton and Clermont counties and between Hamilton and Warren...
in Ohio - Maumee RiverMaumee RiverThe Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
- Miami County, IndianaMiami County, IndianaAs of the census of 2000, there were 36,082 people, 13,716 households, and 9,806 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile . There were 15,299 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
, Ohio, and Kansas - Miami UniversityMiami UniversityMiami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in Oxford, OhioOxford, OhioOxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, is not named for the Miami nation, but rather for the Mayaimi
Mayaimi
The Mayaimi were a Native American people who lived around Lake Okeechobee in Florida from the beginning of the Common Era until the 17th or 18th century. The group took their name from the lake, which was then called Mayaimi, which meant "big water" in the language of the Mayaimi, Calusa, and...
tribe of Florida.
The state soil of Indiana is called Miami
Miami (soil)
The Miami soil series is the state soil of Indiana.The less sloping Miami soils are used mainly for corn, soybeans, or winter wheat. The steeper areas are used as pasture, hayland, or woodland. Significant area has been converted to residential and commercial uses. There are of Miami soils mapped...
.
Notable Miami people
- TetinchouaTetinchouaTetinchoua, a Miami chief, lived in the 17th century. He is described by Nicolas Perrot, who met him in 1671 at Chicago, as being the most powerful of Indian chiefs...
, a powerful 17th-century Miami chief - Little Turtle (Mishikinakwa), 18th-century war chief
- PacannePacannePacanne was a leading Miami chief during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Son of The Turtle , he was the brother of Tacumwah, who was the mother of Chief Jean Baptiste Richardville. Their family owned and controlled the Long Portage, an 8 mile strip of land between the Maumee and Wabash...
, 18th-century chief - Francis La FontaineFrancis La FontaineFrancis La Fontaine, or Topeah, was the last principal chief of the unified Miami tribe, and oversaw the split into the Western and Eastern Miami tribes....
, last principal chief of the united Miami tribe - Jean Baptiste de Richardville (Peshewa), 19th-century chief
- Frances SlocumFrances SlocumFrances Slocum was an adopted member of the Miami tribe taken from her family home by the Lenape in Pennsylvania at the age of five and raised in what is now Indiana. Her burial site is a Miami Indian shrine near Peoria, Miami County, Indiana.Frances was part of a family of early Quaker settlers...
(Maconaquah), adopted member of the Miami tribe - William WellsWilliam Wells (soldier)William Wells , also known as Apekonit , was the son-in-law of Chief Little Turtle of the Miami. He fought for the Miami in the Northwest Indian War...
(Apekonit), adopted member of the Miami tribe